Autism Awareness Month Back to Blog
So I’m going to shift gears a bit and not talk books on my blog today. April is National Autism Awareness Month. Have you ever visited the Autism Society’s of America’s webpage? If not, well, it’s certainly worth the visit.
I don’t normally get too personal on my blog, but today I’m breaking the rules. 🙂 I have a family member (my brother) with an autism diagnosis, and I want to push awareness this month as much as possible.
Did you know that 1 in every 150 American children will receive a diagnosis of autism? Or that, when you narrow that pool down to just boys, 1 in 94 will be diagnosed? That means that every 20 minutes, a child is diagnosed with autism. Twenty minutes. Seriously, that scares me. A lot.
With autism, there is no magical cure (if only). Instead, the key is early diagnosis and intervention. Here are some signs to watch for (as taken from the Autism Society’s website):
- Lack of or delay in spoken language
- Repetitive use of language and/or motor mannerisms (e.g., hand-flapping, twirling objects)
- Little or no eye contact
- Lack of interest in peer relationships
- Lack of spontaneous or make-believe play
- Persistent fixation on parts of objects
This weekend, why don’t you visit the Autism Society’s webpage? If you happen to be doing some Easter shopping for a little one in your life (say you’re heading to Toys R Us like I”ll be doing later today), then why not make a donation at the register to Autism Speaks?
Spread awareness this month. Thank you.
Tweet It
Cindy, I hope your brother is doing well. My friend’s son was severely autistic. She and her husband were in denial for a long time. It’s great that you’re posting the signs of autism.
Hi Cynthia! I am really happy to see you post about this subject today. I also know first hand about Autism because my son has Asperger Syndrom, which is a form of Autism. It has been a long hard road, but he is the most amazing kid and he is also my hero. Thank you for your post today!
Hope your brother is doing well, Cynthia. My sister volunteers at her local school which has a special program for children with autism and she received some training to work with them. I think there’s more awareness and help than years ago.
Thank you for this post. I have an online friend who’s Son has ben diagnosed and her school system is fighting her every step of the way. She loses heart sometimes, so thank you for promoting Autism Awareness.
Hi, Edie! Thank you. Autism affects so many people–sometimes family members of autistic children feel like they’re alone. But they’re not–they’re are so many of us out here!
Hi, Barb! Once upon a time, I was a teacher for students with learning differences, and several of my students had Asperger’s. I agree with you–those kids were amazing and I am sure that your son is, too. I wish you both the absolute best.
Thank you, Pam. I’m glad to see more coverage of autism now. It seems like news shows do broadcasts more, and I really like the “Autism Speaks” campaign. Giving voice to those with this condition is a great way to spread knowledge.
Brandy, I hope things become easier for your friend. I also have a friend with almost the exact same situation and I know just how frustrating that can be. Tell your friend to hang in there and not to give up!!
Thank you all!